Hellpoint (REVIEW)

Somewhere between Clive Barker's "Hellraiser", and H.R.Giger's "Prometheus" lies the video game vision that is "Hellpoint". A proper blend of science fiction, fantasy, and horror with an atmosphere fitting of the setting. All presented in a somewhat familiar soulsborne gameplay loop ...

At the center of the story of a derelict AI driven space station known as Irid Novo which is floating near a swirling event horizon there exists a dark soulsborne tale about a human spawn brought to life to discover why exactly he is there. As a spawned human creation with a name of your choosing you are awakened, and tasked with the duty of facing the eerie inhabitants of Irid Novo while discovering it's dark past. As you progress you'll suit yourself up with increasingly better gear, and armor to face increasingly more formidable, and frightening foes. Both of the lesser, and more boss-like type. All while being guided in a foreign dialect by your creator, the space station's resident AI.

Unlike it's soulsborne forefathers 'Hellpoint' offers quicker action and reaction timing in regards to it's gameplay, and more user friendly functionality in regards to it's mechanics management. A sum of features which incorporates the full array of buttons made available on the DS4 controller. Included in the mixture of mechanics, and features is the genre staple dodge, light & heavy attacks, shield block, and meters tied to things like stamina and health. Unique to Hellpoint are multiple special attack options tied to the sword, shield, and gun weapon types. Things like lunge attacks, dash attacks, and shield bashing add to the various ways you can deal with the enemies before you. Jumping itself is also a unique option in that it opens up more varied platforming exploration opportunities. When it comes to weapons, and gear you'll find you can switch between three weapons on the fly as well as your equipped shields, and guns. The armor, which is equally as important covers the head, hands, body, and legs. All gear, and weapons come as lesser and greater enemy drops, and can be upgraded at a certain point into the game via a weapons modification work bench at the game's Observatory. This includes adding additional effects, and attacks or stat boosts. Also at the Observatory is a Tech bench that allows for gear breakdown in order to gain the materials needed to craft new weapons. That, and a health recovery modification bench for healing up, and modifying those single use health items soulsborne players will be familiar with.

Speaking of familiarity, Hellpoint doesn't stray too far from it's inspirations. As with other soulsborne titles comes taunts, and online matchmaking features such as the ability to invade a match or share a match code for others to join. There's even a note system in which a glowing yellow hand print with text, and symbols can be left to direct or misdirect the player as where to go, and what to do. With this note system also comes player ratings that can be used to rate the validity of the message. While similarities such as these exist there also exists unfamiliar features. Features like the game's Axion currency which will be spent on the spawn's core set of RPG stats. RPG stats this time around not only tie-in with things like health, strength, or stamina, but also cognition, energy, and foresight. Things that coincide with the games' alternate attack options. Things like gun use which runs on an energy meter that can only be refilled through melee included.

Traversing the various locations within Irid Novo is done in a couple of different ways. Sometimes you'll be looking for the doorway or elevator to the next area. Other times you'll be traveling from breach to breach via a cube teleport companion that can be found early on. Each area houses a starting breach that doubles as a way to cash in Axion points, and upgrade RPG stats. These breaches also have other functions that will allow you to increase or decrease enemy strength. Stronger enemies equals better drops. Along with upgrades and downgrades the breaches you open up additionally act as a respawn point. Upon death you will respawn back at the most recently constructed breach. Your Axion points forfeited, and left behind. From respawn you'll have to go back through, and face the enemies again which appear in the usual places, usually. Supposing you die with no Axion points a glowing green ghost, which is a more aggressive lesser enemy will lie in waiting in the area you died in. Defeating it doesn't bank you your lost Axion points though. You will have to pick them up at your actual death spot.

Another interesting feature in Hellpoint's gameplay loop is the blackhole cycle that acts as a sort of event clock. When the hand with the circle aligns with a certain marker on the dial a special strong enemy will spawn temporarily in the area nearest to you. These sub-bosses will bank you more Axion points, and rarer drops if you can defeat them before they disappear. It should be noted that the bosses themselves are not the means by which you get new weapons in the game though. Once a main boss is defeated after crossing into their orange barrier arena, and conquering them a large rift will open up with which you can spend the huge bounty of Axion points the boss awarded you.

The presentation ...

Visually Hellpoint is a dark, and dimly lit sci-fi horror spectacle with polished graphics, and mostly solid animations. Occasionally you will get a frame drop, or screen shake. That, and some awkward rag doll physics upon death. Along with the dark visual appearance comes silence broken only by the incoherent garbling of enemies, sirens, mechanisms, and the occasional foreign voice overs of your AI overlord. The mostly silent soundtrack adds to the creepy nature of the surrounding outer space environment. Making for some proper jump scare moments when enemies decide to sneak up on you out of the shadows, and obscured corners.

The verdict ...

From what I've played, and I've not yet fully completed it, I found Hellpoint more inviting than the past soulsborne games. It feels less sluggish, and less cumbersome. Things feel more fast paced, and fluid in the game. With the control scheme the way it is decisions on what to do in the heat of battle can be done on the fly. There's a couple if not more quick access menus for weapons/shields, and special abilities. While there's plenty of ways to die, and death comes often rinsing, and repeating areas feels less off putting than with most soulsborne games due to things like quick access menus, and easy weapon rotation. Nothing seems overtly impossible even though you will have to stop and grind for Axion points on occasion to progress. As it is, and taking in consideration that I have yet to fully complete the game, I will cautiously say that this game seems solid enough to recommend. I've yet to experience anything that turns me away from returning to play it.